Process cartridge and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A process cartridge for an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum; a cleaning member having a blade contacted to end drum; a sheet contacted to end drum; an end seal provided at an end of a frame and contacted to the drum, end blade and end sheet; and a sealing mold, integrally molded at the end portion of end frame by injection molding, end sealing mold including a first seal provided between end cleaning member and end frame and extending in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction, a second seal provided between the end seal and end frame and continuously molded with end first seal, and a third seal provided between end sheet and end frame and continuously molded with end second seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
 a frame comprising an accommodating portion for accommodating developer; 
 a photosensitive drum rotatably provided in said frame; 
 a cleaning member, provided in said frame and having a blade portion contacted to said photosensitive drum along a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum, for removing developer from a surface of said photosensitive drum; 
 a sheet, provided in said frame, extended along the longitudinal direction and contacted to said photosensitive drum along the longitudinal direction, for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion; 
 an end portion sealing member for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion, said end portion sealing member being attached to an end portion of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction and being contacted to the surface of said photosensitive drum, to said blade portion, and to said sheet; and 
 a molded sealing member, integrally molded at the end portion of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction by injection molding, for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion, said molded sealing member including a first seal portion provided between said cleaning member and said frame and extending in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction, a second seal portion (a) sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between regions where a part of said photosensitive drum contacts a part of said end sealing member which contacts a part of said frame in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and (b) continuously molded with said first seal portion, and a third seal portion provided between said sheet and said frame and continuously molded with said second seal portion. 
 
     
     
       2. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said molded sealing member is made of elastically deformable elastomer resin material. 
     
     
       3. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet is stuck to said frame by a double coated tape having an area overlapping with said third seal portion. 
     
     
       4. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said first seal portion contacts said cleaning member with inclination relative to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       5. A process cartridge according to  claim 4 , wherein said first seal portion projects from said frame with an inclination toward inside of said accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       6. A process cartridge according to  claim 4 , wherein said first seal portion projects from said frame with an inclination toward outside of said accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       7. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said molded sealing member is provided at each of opposite end portions of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       8. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said second seal portion contacts to a mounting surface on which said end portion sealing member is mounted and to a side surface crossing with said mounting surface. 
     
     
       9. A process cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said first seal portion contacts to said blade portion and to a supporting portion supporting said blade portion. 
     
     
       10. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, said image forming apparatus comprising:
 a frame comprising an accommodating portion for accommodating developer; 
 a photosensitive drum rotatably provided in said frame; 
 a cleaning member, provided in said frame and having a blade portion contacted to said photosensitive drum along a longitudinal direction of said photosensitive drum, for removing developer from a surface of said photosensitive drum; 
 a sheet, provided in said frame, extended along the longitudinal direction and contacted to said photosensitive drum along the longitudinal direction, for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion; 
 an end portion sealing member for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion, said end portion sealing member being attached to an end portion of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction and being contacted to the surface of said photosensitive drum, to said blade portion, and to said sheet; and 
 a molded sealing member, integrally molded at the end portion of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction by injection molding, for preventing leakage of the developer from said accommodating portion, said molded sealing member including a first seal portion provided between said cleaning member and said frame and extending in a direction crossing with the longitudinal direction, a second seal portion (a) sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between regions where a part of said photosensitive drum contacts a part of said end sealing member which contacts a part of said frame in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and (b) continuously molded with said first seal portion, and a third seal portion provided between said sheet and said frame and continuously molded with said second seal portion. 
 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said molded sealing member is made of elastically deformable elastomer resin material. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said sheet is stuck to said frame by a double coated tape having an area overlapping with said third seal portion. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said first seal portion contacts said cleaning member with inclination relative to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said first seal portion projects from said frame with an inclination toward inside of said accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said first seal portion projects from said frame with an inclination toward outside of said accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said molded sealing member is provided at each of opposite end portions of said frame with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said second seal portion contacts to a mounting surface on which said end portion sealing member is mounted and to a side surface crossing with said mounting surface. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said first seal portion contacts to said blade portion and to a supporting portion supporting said blade portion.